printing

printing, means of producing reproductions of written material or images in multiple copies. There are four traditional types of printing: relief printing (with which this article is mainly concerned), intaglio, lithography, and screen process printing. Relief printing encompasses type, stereotype, electrotype, and letterpress. Flexographic printing is a form of rotary letterpress printing using flexible rubber plates and rapid-drying inks.

For an account of type design, see type ; typography . See also book ; bookbinding .

Sections in this article:

• Introduction
• Typesetting
• Intaglio
• Lithography
• Relief Printing
• Illustrations and Color Printing
• Screen Process
• Bibliography
• Modern Innovations

The Columbia Electronic Encyclopedia, 6th ed. Copyright © 2012, Columbia University Press. All rights reserved.

See more Encyclopedia articles on: Libraries, Books, and Printing